Goodbye
by Ferum Oxide
Summary: Goodbyes are sad affairs. Ficlet on Edward and Winry.


**Disclaimer: **Nope, I don't own any of the Fullmetal Alchemist characters. I'm writing this for amusement and am making no money whatsoever off this.

**Note:** I actually wrote this based on a fanart I drew for my blog which incidentally demanded a story to it. Bleh, go figure, link to the pic at bottom.

It was mid afternoon, and a gentle breeze played on the leaves and blades of grass. Up above was a clear blue sky, blemished only by a few fluffy clouds lazily floating in the still air. In every sense it was a tranquil summer day. Two figures stood on the porch of a little yellow house in the countryside, taking in the atmosphere.

'You're going again...' she said after a while, but it was more like a question than a statement. She eyed her friend, a short young man smartly dressed in a red over coat as he descended the stairs to her porch.

'Yea,' he said, his blond hair catching the sun as he stepped out of the shade. She followed him, her bare feet contacting the soft green grass. 'There's something I have to do.'

She frowned a little. Edward would never reveal his plans to her. That irritated her, for she felt Edward was mistrustful of her. Wasn't she his best friend? Someone he could trust? It never felt right that Edward always kept his activities a secret to her.

'Would it hurt so much to tell me what you're up to once in a while?' she said, her voice a mixture of hurt and annoyance. Her gaze caught his brilliant golden eyes.

Casting his eyes away, he blurted, 'I can't, Winry.'

'Why are you always so stubborn? What's so secretive about your plans that you've got to keep me out of them? Huh?'

Edward remained reticent, absently examining the lawn.

'Look, if I were just anyone, I wouldn't give a shit about you or your stupid plans! It's just that I'm your friend, okay? And friends care for each other!'

Her words seemed to stir Edward, as the straightened up and faced her. 'Why must we always have this stupid discussion everytime I have to leave!' Edward shot back.

Winry was maybe his best friend but Edward never found himself able to completely understand her. No, it seemed beyond him. The principles behind alchemy he could grasp easily, but human behavior was a whole different ball game.

They stood silently on the lawn for a while, with nothing but a stunted tree growing at one end of the lawn to witness their discussion. Both were gathering their thoughts, assembling a string of coherent words to say.

'I don't really want you to go, Edward,' Winry finally said, breaking the stillness of the moment. 'Why don't you just stay? It's quiet here in Rizenbull; there's no need for you to go out and engage in violent acts…'

'Do you think I like doing that?' he cut in. 'It's something I must do. I owe it to Alphonse to get his body back. And these, these limbs.'

Winry merely nodded. Once again, she felt helpless, unable to aid her friend in any manner except repairing or replacing his automail limbs.

'I'm sorry, I have to go,' Edward said. He looked to her face for any sign of apprehension.

'What, no good-bye hug?' she merely replied, a smile planted on her face. She was back to her jovial self, the one that would beat Edward up with heavy spanners or tease him for being short. In a way, Edward was more comfortable with this side of Winry.

'Haha, fine,' he said, before giving her a quick embrace. It felt a little awkward to Edward. Their usual physical contact consisted of Winry repairing Edward's automail or beating him up.

'I'm off then,' he said, before grabbing his luggage from the porch. Edward set off down the pathway leading to the main road. In his mind, he could still feel the warmth of Winry's body against his. The thought of something more than that was desirable to him, but he quickly shook the thought off. He had no time for such attachments. No, it would only hurt too much to pine for his best friend while he was miles away, on another wild goose chase for the Philosopher's Stone.

'It's sad,' he muttered under his breath as he stopped a good distance from the house. Looking over his shoulder, he could see Winry watching him from the second floor balcony. Did she think of him in any other way besides a platonic friend?

He brushed the question off and continued his trek to the train station where Alphonse would be waiting.

http/img487.imageshack.us/img487/8629/winedbye7pd.jpg


End file.
